1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display rack for stackable boxes. In particular, this invention relates to a vertical, free-standing display rack that is adapted for attachment to boxes of flower bulbs or other products to display such boxes.
2. The Prior Art
Free-standing racks are commonly used in the retail industry to display various items for sale. These racks often comprise a series of horizontal bars connected by two vertical members that are mounted on a base. The items may be either hung directly on the racks, or placed in boxes or trays which are hung on the racks via hooks or pegs.
Often a bracket is mounted on the bars which is capable of mounting a storage box for display of merchandise. An example of such a display mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,906 to Jones, which shows an upright adjustable rail mounting assembly having flanges located on horizontal rails. Storage boxes are equipped with hooks which facilitate attaching the boxes to the flanged rails.
Another type of display system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,703 to Dunham, which discloses a vertical display rack having a plurality of horizontal brackets mounted thereon. Storage boxes are mounted on the display rack by placing the rear wall of the box underneath the upper flange of the bracket and resting the bottom of the box on the bottom flange of the bracket.
Additional display systems are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,240,908 to Weis et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 1,446,036 to Dodd. These systems also show the mounting of storage boxes onto brackets for display on vertical racks.
While all of these systems are useful for displaying merchandise, they all suffer from drawbacks. First, it would be desirable to construct a display rack that does not require the use of many extra components, such as brackets, screws, etc., which must be attached to either the rack or the storage box before the box can be mounted. Second, it would also be desirable to construct a display rack whose base can be folded so that the rack lies completely flat for ease of transportation. Third, it would also be desirable to have a means for mounting a sign on the rack, to advertise the merchandise being displayed. Fourth, purely vertical display racks do not optimize the display capabilities of the storage boxes. A rack that is inclined slightly rearwardly from the consumer best displays the merchandise contained in the hanging storage boxes, and is better balanced than a purely vertical rack.